A gentle touch on his arm interrupted the old man in one of those bursts of patriotic eloquence by which he was wont at times to sway the hearts of the village folk, and in virtue of which power of speech he had ever been regarded among them as somewhat of a prophet. Turning, he found at his elbow the person whom, next to his own daughter and grandchild, he loved best on earth, the young vicar, Master Vere. "Jack," said the young clergyman in a low voice, "I bring you bad tidings. The Lady Bryn Afon is sinking rapidly from the breaking of a blood-vessel on the lungs. Rhiwallon is at her side, and all that man may do is being done for her restoration, but in her weak condition of health the worst is feared, and I have but now hastened from her chamber, to seek you at Shanno's bidding. Courage, dear Jack," he whispered, tenderly leading the old man away; "she did but this moment ask for her father, and pray that her strength might hold out to bid him farewell, and receive a renewed assurance of his love and full forgiveness. Hers has been a troubled and stormy life, Jack, and even her sweet daughter can, in the midst of her tears, lift up her heart to God, and say it shall be well, should it please Him shortly to take her from this world of woe. Yet her grief is very sore, and for her sake I pray you be calm and brave!" "I was at her side this morning," said Jack tremblingly, "and we held much sweet converse together, knowing the time of our separation to be nigh at hand. Yet I thought it not so near as this! Alas, my poor daughter, thy many sorrows have broken thy heart! Nay, Master Vere, I will not weep. For the sake of my child, whose heart bleeds sorely for her mother's suffering, of which she accounts herself in part the cause, I will e'en hold my peace, and--look you--I shall not long be left to mourn in secret over her whom others have long thought dead! My years must needs be few, for I am old and grey-headed, and she does but go before and await me a short while in Paradise."